Branch's Birthday
by Haruka Shibashi
Summary: Branch may have had his true colors returned, but why is he suddenly starting to act grumpier then ever? It's eerily similar to the way he was acting when he was grey… right down to isolating himself from everyone once again including Poppy. Poppy knows his birthday is coming up so maybe she could do something for him on his special day that would stop him from becoming grey again
1. Chapter 1

**Branch's Birthday**

 _(Summary: Branch may have had his true colors returned, but why is he suddenly starting to act grumpier then ever? It's eerily similar to the way he was acting when he was grey… right down to isolating himself from everyone once again including Poppy. Poppy knows his birthday is coming up so maybe she could do something for him on his special day that would stop him from becoming grey once again.)_

 _ **(AN: Hi everyone! I'm back! Sorry I was gone for so long! I wanted to get this story out to you guys as it was already written and typed up, just needed some editing. I am working on a story of the original film from Poppy's Perspective as was requested! I'm hoping y'all can enjoy this in the meantime. -Branch's Perspective.)**_

* * *

Chapter One

 _-Poppy-_

It was spring! Finally the long, bitter winter was over melting away into the warmth of spring, blossoms of leaves on the trees, and buds of flowers creating beauty not only within the Troll Tree, but within the once dreary Bergen Town as well.

A certain, well known troll Queen could be found bouncing around her royal pod that hung in the center of the Troll Tree, barely able to contain her enthusiasm as the warm rays of sunshine lit up the inside of her pod. Not only was spring her favorite season, well in truth everyseason besides winter was her favorite season, but anyways, the first signs of spring meant the Spring Festival would soon be upon them. And Queen Poppy, doing what she does best, was enthusiastically bouncing around her pod adding the finishing touches to her trademark invitations for the event for not only every troll in the troll tree, but every Bergen in Bergen Town this year as well.

"Aanndd done!" She remarked and she glued the last piece of scrapbooking felt onto her last invitation. Smiling brightly she held it out in front of her. Queen Poppy admired her own handiwork for a moment, before nodding in approval and safely tucking the last invitation carefully into her large basket. Glancing around her pod, which was currently strewn with felt, glitter, stickers, and scrapbooking scissors, she shrugged her shoulders, deeming that the mess could be cleaned up later.

"These invitations need to go out as soon as possible! They are already a bit behind schedule!" She announced to no one in particular in an attempt to convince herself that sometimes having a messy pod is ok, even for a Queen. Her self-persuasion was successful as she quickly found herself forgetting about the mess and heaving the large basket onto her shoulders. The door to her pod dropped open as she cheerfully bounced onto the thick branches of the troll tree, humming a happy tune as she made her way to her first destination, the Bergen Town Castle.

Bridget had agreed to assist her in handing out all of her invitations to the bergens of Bergen Town in order to free up some of her time. She couldn't have been more grateful to the female bergen, Poppy had been cooped up in her pod the entire week handcrafting double the amount of invitations she was used to. Briget's helping hand was greatly appreciated. King Gristle had insisted that her invitations would not be necessary and everyone would still participate anyway under his orders, but Queen Poppy insisted as well that she felt it closed the gap between the species a bit, creating a more friendly relationship then they had before. In fact, this would be the first big celebration they would all share together since the trolls finally finished their relocation to the Troll Tree, which much to Poppy's displeasure… took much longer than she had anticipated. She found herself groaning as she remembered once again the long grueling winter that had to endure, whilethey were still rebuilding and securing pods for many trolls in the tree.

"Queen Poppy?" A familiar voice pulled her from her memories, and she was quickly met with the bright bi-colored eyes of Harper.

"Oh Harper! Good Morning!" She chirped, Harper returned the Queen's right smile.

"Already handing out invitations for the Spring Festival?" She inquired, her eyes dancing with anticipation for her own invitation.

"Yep! And here's yours!" Poppy quickly pulled Harper's invitation out from the confines of the basket and handed it to troll whom was almost always covered in paint. Poppy's heart leapt with joy as her friend beamed at her with gratitude.

"Thank you Queen Poppy! Looking forward to it!" The pair exchanged a quick farewell before Harper bounced along the branches once again. Poppy watched her for a moment as she left, then turned around once again to make her way to the castle.

Once Poppy finally arrived, she realized it was much later than she had anticipated. Along the way she was stopped by several trolls, all of which she of course wanted to give their invitations to and all of which struck up conversations with her as well. She still had more troll invitations to hand out when she returned and would be lucky if she could get her special invitations for her closest friends and her boyfriend Branch by midnight. Being Poppy though, she only fretted over this for a moment before deciding that seeing everyone's grateful expressions as she handed out the invitations made all the work well worth it. Todd, one of the Bergen guards Queen Poppy was familiar with, led her down the halls of the castle to King Gristle's study where he and Bridget could currently be found.

"Poppy!" Her friend exclaimed cheerfully upon her arrival, quickly running over to her excitedly, her fiancé stood from his chair behind her and greeted the Troll Queen with a nod.

"I was growing worried, it's well past the time you had told me." Her friend worried as she knelt to help Poppy remove the basket from her shoulders.

"I am so sorry for running late! I ran into so many trolls I hadn't expected to run into along the way." Poppy was grateful she felt no need to speak formally with King Gristle and Bridget as ones of royalty normally would speak to one another. Growing up, formalities were never one of Poppy's strong points since she was always so keen on making friends with everyone. After everything they had gone through together barely a year ago now, both she and King Gristle agreed there would be no need for such formalities between them.

"Not to worry, we are just relived to see you've arrived safely." The Bergen King explained as he approached them as well, eyeing the large amount of invitations the troll Queen had been carrying.

"But next time Queen Poppy, if you insist on making invitations for everyone in Bergen Town we can send someone to collect them for you. No need to put yourself through so much trouble." He offered, as spoiled as King Gristle could be sometimes, he really was quite attentive and kind.

"Goodness Poppy, Gristle's right! You're already doing so much just by hosting the event and making the invitations! We can lend a hand too!" Rubbing her shoulders she smiled brightly at the newly engaged couple.

"I'll take you up on that next time." She responded accepting their offer, she shuffled around in her basket and handed Bridget the large stack of invitations for the citizens of Bergen Town, Bridget accepted it with a thank you before turning around to set them down on the desk. When Bridget turned around to face the troll Queen again she had already saddled the large basket on her shoulders again.

"Well I'm sorry this is brief but I have more invitations to hand out before the end of the day!" Poppy chirped.

"Poppy wait!" Bridget called out to her as she began to head for the door; the pink troll stopped to face her friend once more.

"If you need any help please let us know." She offered.

"Yes Queen Poppy, we would be honored to assist with your festival preparations." King Gristle reassured. Poppy smiled at the pair once again.

"Okay, shall we have a meeting on the festival?" The pink troll inquired, gaining smiles of relief from the Bergen pair, both knew all too well that Poppy had a tendency take on more then she could handle.

"Why yes of course! When are you free?" The bergen king inquired.

"I'm actually available tomorrow evening!"

* * *

Dusk had set in when the troll queen found herself finally heading to the bottom of the troll tree to deliver her last invitation, held securely within the palms of her hands. She of course had saved the best invitation for last. She hugged the invitation closer to her chest, remembering every intricate detail she had put into this special invitation. Her heartbeat began to race as she descended the tree and grew closer and closer to her boyfriends home, and although her heart was racing with anticipation of seeing Branch for the first time today, she was unable to control the unsettling bundle of nerves that continued to build up inside her with each step.

The formerly grey troll had yet to decline any of her recent party invitations since they returned from their journey almost a year ago now, but it still made her uneasy. Twenty years of harsh words and smashed invitations could do that to a troll, even the most positive troll in all of Troll Village.

As she reached her destination, she calmly took a deep breath before she welled up all of her courage to knock on the door. She waited momentarily, practically bouncing with anticipation, but her excitement soon turned into concern when she didn't receive a response. Even on their busiest of days, by dusk Branch could always be found in his home. Even though his happiness and colors had returned, he still valued his alone time and made sure to be home by dusk so he could ensure he would enjoy it, something Poppy had come to learn about him over the long winter. She herself also very much enjoyed sharing that alone time with him from time to time. Poppy was usually the only one allowed to disturb him, and because he always knew she'd be the only one at the door at this time he would always readily answer. Come to think of it… she hadn't even caught a glance of him at all today, and she had seen every twig in the troll tree while handing out her invitations. Poppy's worry only grew with this realization. Branch and Poppy almost always crossed paths throughout the day while they performed their duties. Despite that, Poppy knew even without noticing it she was always subconsciously looking for that beautiful, unique blue hair of his, to her it was impossible to miss.

"Branch?" she called out as she reached for his doorknob, suspiciously it was unlocked. Her concern intensified, Branch alwayslocked his door… he may be more comfortable with all the trolls in her kingdom now, but some of his old habits still stuck around and she doubted they would suddenly stop now. Hesitantly she opened the door, hoping all her fears would be squashed and she would simply find her love buried so deep in a book he hadn't even noticed her knocking.

"Branch? Are you home?" She called out to him again, only to once again be met with no response.

With an uneasy sigh she entered his home, his invitation still clutched close to her chest. Branch's home resided at the base of the troll tree. Much to her displeasure, Branch refused to live in a pod within the branches of the tree like the other trolls. This had actually caused quiet a big argument at the time they had started making arrangements to live in their old home once again, but Poppy soon realized Branch was much more comfortable on the ground. Actually the movements of the pods sometimes terrified him, and although he had grown more and more accustomed to the pods over the year, she knew he still had a long way to go before he felt completely comfortable living in one of them.

What had concerned her at the time was not only did she desire to live close to Branch, hoping it could've been possible for them to be neighbors so she could see him everyday, but also she was very worried he become a recluse again, living in a drearily, damp, dark underground home. No matter what anyone said to her, Branch's old bunker was extremely lonely and depressing, she couldn't bear to see him live like that again. Fortunately he had shown her that he no longer wanted to live that way either. His home was hidden within the roots of the tree that sprouted out of the ground, creating almost a wooden cave. The roots provided much shelter, but also allowed a generous amount of light into the home. And while this new home still held a lot of storage much like his underground bunker had, Branch had worked hard to create a much more homey, almost cabin style feel to his new home. When he had completed his work, Poppy had quickly found herself spending a lot of time here, it was quiet and peaceful, the perfect place for her to relax and unwind from the stress of her Queenly duties throughout the day. She finally understood why Branch valued his alone time and always secretly thanked him for it.

Poppy scanned every room she knew of within his home and found no sight, or sign that her boyfriend was even around. She felt slightly relieved that it seemed he was just returning home late, but she still couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness, and this time it didn't seem like it was because she was afraid he would reject her invitation.

"Oh well… I suppose he wouldn't mind if I waited for him here." She spoke aloud to no one in particular.

Deciding to make herself comfortable as she normally would, she collapsed onto the couch. Immediately her eyes were drawn to a picture frame sitting on the end table beside her that she had not noticed before. Setting her invitation down on the end table, she gingerly picked up and held the old, worn out frame in her hands, the picture inside just as old and worn and the frame that held it, it had been torn slightly in one corner, wrinkled in another, the edges had started to fray and the photo itself had begun to fade. Regardless of the photographs current state though, Poppy could still clearly make out the two figures in the photograph. She admired the younger, mirror image of her boyfriend, his coloring undeniable. He was so small here, maybe three years of age, his features shining with a smile brighter then she had even witnessed come from him herself. He was hugging an elder troll in the photograph, clearly someone very dear to him. Her skin a light shade of purple, and teal colored hair that closely resembled the color of Branch's skin, and had been beginning to fade to white. Her smile was kind, warm, motherly… its almost as if Poppy herself could feel the tenderness as she held the young Branch within her warm embrace.

What this Branch's mother? Poppy questioned, but something about that just didn't seem quite right. Poppy still had a lot to learn about Branch's past and did not yet know much about his parents, but the troll in this photograph seemed much older then a troll who would be Branch's mothers age… She pondered it a bit longer, when the memory of the only family Branch had ever opened up to her about formed an image in her mind. A heartfelt smile soon appeared on the pink trolls lips as she gazed tenderly at the photograph in the hands, and a tear even fell from the corner of her right eye.

"Grandma Rosiepuff…" She whispered.

* * *

 _-Branch-_

In a location of the Troll Tree that had not yet been inhabited by new pods, a familiar teal troll with unique royal blue hair could be found gazing at the horizon as the sun finished it's decent.

"It's late." He mumbled to himself before pushing off the branch underneath him to stand on his feet. He began to turn around to leave and head back to his own home at the base of the troll tree, but found himself stopping for a moment to stare longingly once more at the once familiar area of the Troll Tree he had found himself drawn to this evening. This place… this was where he once shard a home with his grandmother… he had been so young back then but could recall the memory of his old home like he had just seen it yesterday.

The pod he shared with Grandma Rosiepuff hung on a large branch just above his head to the right, and the branch he was currently standing on now… was where he had been singing that day…

No new pods had grown in this area of the Troll Tree yet even though they had been living here for almost a year already, but preparations were set to begin in less than a month. He had chosen not to build his pod here, or rather hadn't chosen to live in a pod at all, because it just didn't feellike his home in this spot anymore, he couldn't… be happy here again, his last memory of this place too painful to remember.

Even so, even though he knew this to be true… he still struggled with a complicated feeling. The thought of any other pods being grown here other than his old home unsettled him. He couldn't help be feel a bit territorial and protective over this area, like this area was only meant to be the home of his Grandmother as well as his parents. New pods being grown here made him feel like their memory would soon be wiped away… This area was where he had been born, his parents pod sharing the same branch and Grandma Rosiepuff's hanging not much farther away. After his mother and father had sacrificed their lives for him… this was where grandma had raised him… where she watched over, cared for and protected so many other young trolls who had also been orphaned like he had. And finally… where she sacrificed her own life… to save his own, just as his parents had done…

But… regardless of how unsettled he felt… he couldn't be selfish. He knew Grandma would want him to allow more trolls to begin their lives here and share pleasant memories, to bring joy and happiness to this place once again. He couldn't live in the past forever, she would never want that for him and he knew he could never make Poppy happy living like that either. So, he didn't fight it when they announced the new developments for this location. He remained silent and spoke his feelings to no one, not even Poppy. He settled on visiting this place as often as he could before the new developments were complete, reliving the wonderful memories he shared with his grandmother here until that would no longer be possible anymore.

Darkness now blanketed Bergen Town as Branch finally began heading down the tree for his new home. The tree seemed to sparkle from the lights of the surrounding pods as they did every night, but Branch could not seem to find the beauty in the twinkling lights tonight. Over the past twenty-one years, this time of the year was always very difficult for him, he thought it might be different now that his colors had returned but it seems he had been wrong. He knew his birthday was just over two weeks away… but he just couldn't ever find himself happy about it. Grandma Rosiepuff's birthday happened to be just a week before his own, right as the spring blossoms opened into a full bloom, and right as the warmth of spring finally began to settle in across the land. The nature of his grandmother's birthday suited her perfectly but… that year Grandma had become a sacrifice for his sake, was the last year he ever found himself happy around this time.

His heart was crying out to find Poppy, to seek comfort in her during this difficult time, but his mind remained prideful and stubborn. He ended up avoiding her the entire day, unwilling to show her the state he was in and convincing himself he would be fine. Even if he did seek out comfort in her, he knew there was no way he could find happiness celebrating his own birthday when grandma could no longer celebrate hers because of him… he didn't deserve it…

Before he had even realized it, he had approached the front door of his home; he had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed the lights shining through the windows. Slowly, he opened the door and walked inside sighing sadly to himself, as he willed the horrendous memories to go away.

"Branch?" The voice that came from the confines of his house jolted him back to his senses. His head snapped up, instantly he was on guard, his eyes darting around his house with a glare as he searched for the intruder.

"Who's there!"

 _-End-_

* * *

 **-Timeline-  
(For reference for this and future stories)**

 **Grandma Rosiepuff's Birthday – April 12th  
** **Branch's Birthday – April 19th  
** **The day formerly know as Trollstice – June 15th  
** **Poppy's Birthday – June 20th**

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 _ **(AN: That's it for the first chapter! I hope y'all enjoyed it! Let me know! Also check me out on…  
**_ _ **Wattpad - user/HarukaShibashi  
**_ _ **Tumblr - blog/shibashiharuka  
**_ _ **I just started these accounts and will be posting my fan fictions there too! Also maybe some future fan art, and just thoughts or personal updates. Also I can share any of your work on tumblr! So if you want to head on over there and show some love! Thank you!)**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Branch's Birthday**

 _(Summary: Branch may have had his true colors returned, but why is he suddenly starting to act grumpier then ever? It's eerily similar to the way he was acting when he was grey… right down to isolating himself from everyone once again including Poppy. Poppy knows his birthday is coming up so maybe she could do something for him on his special day that would stop him from becoming grey once again.)_

 _ **(AN: Hi everyone! Thank you for welcoming me back! I have another Chapter for you! Please leave a review and let me know what you think!)**_

* * *

Chapter Two

 _-Poppy-_

Poppy jumped from her seat and grabbed Branch's invitation upon hearing her boyfriend come through the door, ecstatic that he had finally returned, it was starting to get much to late for her comfort.

"Branch?" she called out as she quickly made a beeline for the entrance, but froze the moment she saw the guarded and defensive look on his face. As Branch took a moment to realize who was standing in the shadows of his home she took a closer look at him, was that… strands of black in his hair she could see within his royal blue locks? No, no, no that's not possible. It must've just been due to the lack of light.

 _"Who's there?!"_ Branch shouted, upon hearing his panicked voice Poppy immediately began to approach him and came into the light in an effort to calm him down. She realized he must've not noticed that that one in his house was his girlfriend.

"Branch calm down…" She called soothingly.

"Don't worry, it's me… Poppy." She could see Branch visibly relax once he realized there was no threat, his defensive look quickly turning into confusion.

"Poppy?" He breathed before setting down his bag beside him, not breaking his eye contact with her once.

"What are you… how did you…"

"You left your door unlocked…" She explained as she stepped behind him to close the door he had carelessly left open behind him. His eyes followed her every movement, the confusion still apparent on his face. Something clearly wasn't right with Branch, her always cautious and careful boyfriend was acting a bit… too careless. She turned back to face him again, and gingerly took his hands into her own. As she got closer to him she could indeed see that there really were black strands of hair mixed within his beautiful royal blue locks, and his skin no longer seemed as bright. Her heart sank into her stomach with this realization and she led him toward the couch to rest and hopefully talk to him without causing him any alarm.

He followed her easily, once he sat down on the couch she retreated to the kitchen for a moment to allow him to get comfortable while she poured a cup of chamomile tea that she had already prepared in the teapot while waiting for him to return home. She walked back out into the living to her still tense boyfriend, and handed him the mug. Branch mumbled a _'thank you'_ to her before bringing the mug to his lips to take a sip of the warm tea. The warm liquid seemed to relax him more, which came as a relief to the Troll Queen. As she gave him time to settle in, she could help but feel worried that he might not open up to her, that he might shut her out again as he once had so often in the past, but she swallowed her nerves and decided to finally voice her concerns.

"Branch… are you alright?" His gaze landed on hers as she spoke, she gazed back into his eyes and almost gasped at the emotions that seemed to be swirling inside of them. Pain, anguish, loneliness, sadness… and fear… Just what on earth was going on with the troll she loved? What could have possibly shaken him up so badly?

"It's… not like you to leave your door unlocked… or return home this late…" She began carefully, not wanting to dive in too deep too fast, afraid he might push her away. Unfortunately Poppy's worry only grew when the question caused him to avert his eyes away from hers, signaling he was not ready to tell her what was wrong.

"I'm worried about you… I…

"I'm okay Poppy." He interrupted her as he set his mug down on the end table beside him, the table that displayed his grandmother's photo. Her eyes curiously drifted to that photo for a moment before she looked back at Branch who still would not meet her gaze.

"But Branch…"

"I said I'm _okay_!" he snapped, causing her to back off a bit. She sat staring him for a moment wide eyed. He hadn't snapped at her like that since he had been grey. She felt her heart start to twist in her chest, pressing her hand on her aching heart she couldn't find the words she had wanted to express toward him moments before.

After several minutes of silence, Branch finally glanced at the pink troll sitting on the now opposite side of the couch. Regret filled his heart once he saw his girlfriend shocked, and hurt expression covering her beautiful features. He looked away from her again and sighed, he obviously wasn't doing a very good job at hiding his feelings right now, and what was worse? He was taking it out on Poppy without reason. She didn't deserve that; even so… he still couldn't find it within himself to open up to her right now.

"I'm sorry I just… I'm just not having a good day." He explained vaguely.

"I'll be better tomorrow." Poppy instantly knew that was a lie. She was slightly offended that he thought he could lie to her, that he thought she didn't know him well enough by now to know when he was lying to her, and that he felt lying to her was a better option then confiding in her, but that wasn't important right now. Branch was hurting, a lot. She could see it clear as day even if his hair hadn't been laced with strands of black right now. He needed someone, he needer _her, s_ he wanted to reach out and hold him, comfort him… but he was refusing to let her in. What could she do for him right now?

Branch watched her battle her thoughts out of the corner of his eye, and could feel his heart squeeze in pain as the look of hurt kept crossing her features. The hurt expressions she was displaying were his fault, he knew that… so why couldn't he just talk to her? He supposed being grey for so long still held its effects on him. Unable to take it anymore, he spoke to break the awkward silence.

"So… what brought you here tonight?" he asked, honestly curious. He felt a little relieved when a look of relief washed over his girlfriends face, she was thankful for the subject change.

"Oh yeah!" she chirped happily as she bounced out of her seat and headed back toward the entrance to grab the invitation for the spring festival. Maybe this would lift his spirits a little bit! Branch had followed her and watched as she picked up the invitation she had set down on the credenza and spun back around to face him again with bright smiles.

"The spring festival!" The Troll Queen exclaimed.

"Huh?" Branch cocked an eyebrow in confusion as Poppy shoved the invitation toward him. It quickly popped open revealing the words, _'Spring is Here!'_ and showering him and the floor with light pink, felt flower petals.

"I came to bring you your invitation to the spring festival! We are celebrating with Bergen Town this year its gonna…" Poppy abruptly stopped speaking when she noticed the scowl that had formed on her boyfriend's face. A look she hadn't seen him give her since she asked him to save her friends from the Bergen's almost a year ago. Her heart started to flutter anxiously.

"Bran…"

"No…" He practically growled.

"What?" She spoke barely above a whisper.

"I'm not going…" He said sternly.

"But Branch!" She cried but stopped again as Branch stomped past her to whip his front door wide open. Was… was he… kicking her out?

"I said, I'M NOT GOING!" he shouted, silencing her. Tears now formed in her eyes, she couldn't find the strength to move as she stared at him. He had not out right refused any of her invitations since they had returned to the Troll Tree, nor had he yelled at her like that in a very long time… Sure he had refused, and even destroyed every invitation she had ever given him for almost twenty years, and yelled at her like this many times in the past so she should've been used to it… this shouldn't bother her right now… but it did. His reaction stung… a lot.

"Now please…" He wouldn't even look her in the eye right now.

 _'Branch please… don't push me away.'_ Her heart and mind pleaded silently.

"Go back to your pod and get some rest tonight…" He practically spat. Her heart felt as if it were breaking, the tears continued to well up in her eyes but she refused to let them fall… He wasn't even going to walk her home… Not once had he ever let her to walk home alone after the sun had set, not even when he was grey. Although back then he had stayed in the shadows and followed her home to make sure she was safe when he thought she didn't notice him. He had always been the perfect gentleman… and yet here he was, pushing her away.

"Please Poppy…" his voice was much softer now, almost cracking as he pleaded with her to leave. She could feel her heart breaking even more, and almost wished he would remain angry with her instead. Hearing him like this made her not want to leave even more.

"I just… need to be alone right now." The Troll Queen remained silent as she watched him with wavering eyes a little longer. Her heart told her that leaving him alone again was the wrong thing to do… but… she had nothing to offer him right now. If he was going as far as to refuse her presence, how in the world could she make him feel any better right now? What can she do for him?

"Okay…" She whispered as she gave in, and stepped past him to walk outside. She shivered as the cool and crisp spring air hit her warm skin. Before she left though, she blinked back her tears, took a deep breath and she turned to face him once last time.

"Goodnight Branch… I love you…" She stated confidently while staring directly at him. She didn't care right now if he did not respond, her only goal was to make it known to him that she was here and had no intention of allowing things to go back to the way they used to be. She would never let him feel completely alone ever again. Poppy was rewarded when Branch finally met her eyes again and she could see the happiness, albeit small, that danced in his eyes even though he did not smile. Her words had gotten through to him, and she knew she had sparked a small light of hope within him once more.

"Goodnight Poppy." He responded, his voice barely above a whisper, before he gently closed the door to his home. A sad smile formed on the pink trolls face as she silently rested her left hand and forehead against Branch's door for a good while before finally deciding to take her leave. Her heart ached painfully, but not because he did not reciprocate her mention of her love for him, she knew he still loved her even if he didn't voice it. No, her heart ached _for_ him. Branch was suffering again and she felt completely helpless. What could she do for him? She'd pulled him out of the darkness once before, was it possible for her to do it again? Ideas bounced around in the Troll Queen's head as she climbed up the Troll Tree to her pod, feeling very lonely as she walked alone this late at night. She hardly even noticed any of the trolls of the tree greet her as she passed by.

Once she made it back home to her pod, she threw herself down on her bed in frustration. Starring at her ceiling she spoke out loud to a Troll she had never had the honor to meet.

"Grandma Rosiepuff." She whispered quietly, feeling slightly odd talking to someone she knew had passed away. But somehow… Poppy knew Grandma Rosiepuff was listening.

"You knew your grandson better than anyone… What can I do for him right now?" The moment the question left her lips, an image of the old worn out picture she had seen in Branch's home had floated into her mind. Poppy gasped and bolted right up into a sitting position on her bed.

"That's it!" She exclaimed, she now had a small idea of a way she could help Branch. But first, she would need some help…

* * *

 _-Branch-_

What Poppy didn't see when Branch closed the door on her, was how Branch stood on the other side of his door with his left hand and head resting on it just as she had done on the other side. He stood there like that for a very long time, even after he knew she had left. Loneliness encompassed him as he listened to her footsteps walk away, and he ignored every fiber of himself that screamed at him to follow her, to make sure she had made it home safely, and to apologize to her. It's not that he didn't want to… he just couldn't right now.

He had been a total jerk, she had only been worried about him and cared about him unlike anyone ever has before. And here he was, pushing her away again just as he had done when he was grey. He just… couldn't control the overwhelming amount of sorrow he was feeling.

For twenty long years, the most difficult times of the year for him, the times where he would get the most angry and snap at Poppy or other trolls the most, were whenever a member of his families birthday approached, holidays and Trollstice. At first he barely got himself out of bed on those days and definitely could not be found venturing outside his home. The only troll, who ever dared to make an appearance when he was so depressed, was Poppy. Each time their brief conversation would end with him slamming the door in her face. Eventually he could burry his sorrow deep down and hide it, sometimes even channeled it into anger. Most trolls just began to assume he was just acting extra grumpy and never bothered to understand the reason, well all trolls except for Poppy.

But this year… this year felt as if everything was new to him, he couldn't describe what he was feeling as his grandmothers and his own birthday approached. It wasn't the same as feeling grey, and he definitely wasn't the happy troll he was learning how to be again. The only thing he could associate his troubled feelings with was their move back into the Troll Tree. Being back here… he felt as if he was close to Grandma Rosiepuff, his mom and his dad again. Old memories he had thought he had long forgotten in order to dull the pain and sorrow, had begun to resurface and he wasn't sure if he should be happy… or sad… All of it was just so… complicated. He wouldn't even know how to explain everything to his beautiful girlfriend even if he wanted too.

With a long, sad sigh Branch finally moved away from the front door. As he turned around to head back into his room, something on the ground caught his eye… it was Poppy's invitation. She must have dropped it during their little spat and now it lay there in his entranceway, forgotten. Branch felt his heart squeeze painfully as Poppy's hurt expression from when he had shouted at her entered his mind again, an expression he hadn't seen from her since their first argument as a couple a few months ago.

"Poppy…" He whispered as he knelt down to pick up the forgotten hand crafted spring festival invitation.

"I'm so sorry…" Branch clutched the precious invitation close to his chest; secretly praying deep down that his sincere apology would somehow get through to her.

* * *

 ** _-Next Day-_**

 _-Poppy-_

"Biggie! Biggie!" Poppy called out as she bounced across the tree branches, her large blue friend stopped his photography moment and turned to address his precious friend with a bright smile.

"Good morning Poppy! What brings you here?"

"I'm trying to get the group together for a little pow wow. Are you terribly busy?" The Troll Queen asked sweetly, he simply smiled and moved to safely put his camera away.

"Nothing that can't be done later. I'm coming." Poppy smiled brightly at her kind friend.

"You're the best Biggie! Thanks!"

Poppy was quickly able to assemble the entire Snack Pack in her royal pod before she needed to complete her royal duties for the day. Once everyone settled in comfortably, she noticed her friends giving each other curious glances and she knew the question that was about to be asked.

"Poppy? Where's Branch?" Biggie inquired. It of course wasn't unusual for the formerly grey troll to not be seen for a majority of the day, his work was usually performed behind the scenes, although it rarely went unnoticed anymore as it once had in the past. But, when Poppy needed to gather all her friends, it was rare that Branch was not there beside Poppy, supporting her. Branch had even made appearances at some of their parties these days.

"Actually, we're here because of Branch…" She began; earing even more curious looks from everyone.

"Something… is bothering Branch. Something's just not right… he's almost retreated back to his old ways again…" Poppy continued referring to Branch's grey days.

"What? Oh no!" Worried DJ.

"Biggie… Cooper, you knew Branch before he turned grey right? Was there anything you remember from back then that could be causing him any pain? When I mentioned the spring festival celebration he grew furious with me…" Poppy explained, earning a couple of shocked stares from Guy Diamond, Satin and Chenille. It had been quite some time since they had seen Branch grow furious with her. Cooper and Biggie pondered the Troll Queen's question for a moment before something finally clicked, Cooper spoke first.

"Grandma Rosiepuff…" Poppy gave him a slightly confused look. She figured it had something to do with his family, but she needed him to elaborate further.

"We all know what happened to her though…" The pink troll began; she couldn't quite understand what Cooper was getting at. Sure Branch's Grandmothers death was the reason he had turned grey in the first place, and she knew he would always struggle with her loss, but hadn't he forgiven himself for that? Maybe he hadn't… She just assumed he had and never asked…

"Yeah we all expected him to struggle with living in the tree again because of those memories." Satin added.

"It's been a year now since we moved here and he's been totally fine." Chenille finished.

"No, no not that… well maybe sort of…" Biggie refuted and tried to explain. Cooper chimed in again to help him.

"His grandmother's birthday always fell right around the time the winter melted away into spring, right as the buds began to grow on the trees, and it was just a couple of days before Branch's birthday. One week exactly, I believe…" Biggie nodded.

"Yes, Grandma Rosiepuff's birthday perfectly suited the type of troll she used to be, she watched over all the young trolls in the village, and took special care of those who were orphaned because of the Trollstice. She was the only troll who could ever keep up with all of us." Biggie and Cooper laughed nostalgically.

"Actually she was a lot like you in those aspects Poppy." Biggie commented, surprising the Troll Queen.

"Mhmm, she was always so warm, kind and motherly, but strong and determined to not only reign us in when we got out of hand, but to protect every single one of us as if we were her own children. She was probably the reason the trolls were able to survive without all of us getting eaten. That and along with those who sacrificed themselves…" Cooper finished sadly, the mood in the room turned glum at the unwelcome memories of the past. All remained quiet for a while as they each cherished the memories of their lost loved ones.

"So… if his grandma's birthday was only one week before his…" Poppy finally broke the silence, and all eyes were back on her.

"Then that means her birthday…"

"Is tomorrow." Cooper finished.

"But… why would something like that make him upset?" DJ Suki questioned, voicing the confusion everyone now shared, including Poppy. Only Cooper and Biggie seemed to understand how why Branch was reacting the way he was right now.

"Could… could it be a combination of things?" Poppy questioned, and she began to piece together everything she knew about her boyfriend. She had to admit, she felt a bit intimidated that her older friends seemed to know Branch better then she did right now. Her intimidation eased a bit when Cooper and Biggie responded to her with a nod.

"Branch is a master at hiding his emotions behind a mask." Cooper began.

"He may look like he's doing fine living here… but I'm sure he's struggling with some complicated emotions right now." Biggie continued.

"Heck even Biggie and I have struggled a bit with the move. We also have vivid memories of loosing some of our loved ones over twenty years ago." Everyone's eyes widened at this confession from Cooper and Biggie.

"You have? Cooper… Biggie… I'm so…"

"Don't apologize Poppy." Biggie interrupted causing the Queen to look at him curiously.

"It may have resurfaced some painful memories… but it's also an incredibly empowering feeling to be back here again." Her large blue friend explained.

"Yeah, this place… is _home_ … it's always been home. And it feels good, almost like we're closer to our loved ones again." Cooper finished.

"Wow." Everyone muttered in unison. Poppy, Guy, Satin, Chenille, Fuzzbert, Suki and Smidge all lost loved ones too here, but most of them were too young to remember. While they felt the loss of loosing someone before they could get to know them, they never experienced what it was like to watch a loved one be taken away as Branch, Copper and Biggie had.

"And for Branch… it's harder for him. Biggie and I still had someone in our families with us when we relocated to the Troll Village… Branch, lost his entire family here…" Cooper added, hoping he could help Poppy understand her boyfriend more.

"I had no idea… Biggie… Cooper… if you guys feel this way… then… there are so many other trolls who… a-and Branch he…" Poppy was trying to formulate her whirlwind of thoughts, as she tried to process this new revelation. She was so naïve, thinking everyone in the village would be more than happy to relocate back to their old home. As she pondered these thoughts and emotions, she suddenly stopped. An idea came to mind and a wide smile spread across the Troll Queen's face as she looked at each one of her friends with renewed confidence.

"Guys! I have an idea, but I'm gonna need your help!" She exclaimed.

"What is it Poppy?"

"I want to do something for Branch's birthday, as well as something to honor every troll who sacrificed their life to save those of us still alive today." The Queen began to explain, earning several-surprised look from her friends.

"But first I would like to learn a little more about Branch's grandmother. Cooper, Biggie… I need you to tell me everything you know!"

"We could and will Poppy but… you might actually want to ask your father more about her." Biggie explained, making Poppy cock an eyebrow at his statement. She could see Copper nodding in agreement behind him.

"Mhmm the former King and Grandma Rosiepuff used to be real close, almost like mother and son." Cooper explained, earning a surprised look from their friend, and Queen.

* * *

 _ **(AN: Chapter two complete! Please let me know what you think!)**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Branch's Birthday**

 _(Summary: spanBranch may have had his true colors returned, but why is he suddenly starting to act grumpier then ever? It's eerily similar to the way he was acting when he was grey… right down to isolating himself from everyone once again including Poppy. Poppy knows his birthday is coming up so maybe she could do something for him on his special day that would stop him from becoming grey once again.)_

 ** _(AN: Woo! Chapter Three is here! Hope you all are enjoying this story!)_**

* * *

Chapter Three

 _-Poppy-_

The following morning, Poppy was able to take the morning off and had made her way over to her father's pod. All night, questions regarding her boyfriend and his late grandmother had been swirling around in her head, and she only grew more and more curious about her father's relationship with Grandma Rosiepuff after what Cooper and Biggie had said. The Snack Pack, worried and curious about their friend as well, also tagged along.

""Dad!" Poppy called out, assuming he was inside.

"Poppy? O-Oh just a minute sweetie!" he called back; thankfully he had heard her this time. Usually he would lounge around his pod in his underwear and she had walked in on him doing so more than once. It seemed to be something he really enjoyed doing since he retired, she couldn't help but roll her eyes at the thought. Poppy and her friends waited outside his pod for a while, not wanting to walk into an embarrassing situation again. Just as the group started to grow impatient with the elderly former King, he finally emerged from his pod looking slightly surprised.

"What brings you all here?" The former King asked curiously.

"Dad… we are worried about Branch… he's… he's showing signs of turning grey again." The Queen explained. Peppy's face relaxed in understanding.

"Ah I see. I have noticed the poor lad has yet to feel comfortable upon returning to the Troll Tree." Poppy's father replied, surprising her a bit. How had her father noticed something about Branch all this time that she never once noticed? He could sure be forgetful at times, but he was and still is incredibly wise and never missed a thing.

"His grandmother's birthday would have been today and we think it may have something to do with how he's feeling." King Peppy nodded in agreement as his daughter continued.

"Biggie and Cooper mentioned that you were once close with Grandma Rosiepuff and thought maybe… you could tell us more about her… I thought… If I learned more about her I… I might be able to help Branch in some way…" Poppy cast her eyes downward in slight embarrassment. No matter how old she was she was still a little shy about sharing any details of her relationship with Branch with her father. Not only that but she also did not like feeling completely helpless, especially when it came to Branch. It has never crossed her mind before that she would be seeking he father's help when it came to their relationship. Her worries soon washed away though as she peered up to see her father smiling warmly at her.

"I can certainly help you dear." He replied kindly.

"But, it would be best to show you where he and his grandmother once lived first." King Peppy mentioned earning bright smiles from his daughter and the rest of her friends.

"Come, follow me."

* * *

The former King led his daughter and her friends to a central location on the west side of the Troll Tree, he stopped to turn around and face them once they had all arrived on the tree branch where Rosiepuff and Branch used to live.

"Here?" Poppy questioned and her father nodded.

"But… isn't construction set to start here next month?" Guy Diamond questioned. Construction? Wait, the recent construction that she just approved? But Branch was right beside her when she approved it and never said anything. Poppy continued to ponder as her friends bounced questions around.

"Branch didn't want to build his pod here?" DJ Suki wondered as well.

"Branch still doesn't even have a pod." Poppy answered DJ.

"He's not completely comfortable living in them and prefers the home he built in the routes at the base of the tree but…"

"Is he really okay with construction beginning here?" Smidge took the words right out of Poppy's mouth. She was suddenly starting to regret her fast paced decisions she had made regarding this place. She was even starting to question if she really had made all her decisions with the every Trolls' best interests in mind…

"Only Branch knows the answer to that question." Peppy answered, Poppy's heart felt heavy. She had made all these decisions as Queen without considering Branch's feelings on the matter, or _any_ trolls feelings on these matters. She really valued her decision making to be in the best interest of the entire troll race, but she had not once considered that it would be difficult for those who had previously lived here. She didn't understand how so many of them felt because she was too young to remember. If she was hurting Branch, then how many others had she hurt with her recent decisions?

"Don't worry Poppy." Came her fathers soothing voice.

"All of the Troll Village supports you, they know you think of all of them and that you do your best to make sure everyone is happy." Poppy could never hide anything from her father. His words lifted her spirits a little bit, but she couldn't push down that feeling of needing to do _something_ in remembrance of those loved ones that were lost, after all those loved ones included her mother of whom she was never able to meet.

"Tell us… about Grandma Rosiepuff Dad." Poppy asked softly and he smiled.

"Of course." He responded before gesturing for everyone to make himself or herself comfortable.

"Biggie and Cooper told me that she used to be known as a kind, motherly troll who kept watch and protected all of the troll children?" Poppy began excitedly, she loved stories from their past, well the good ones anyways. And she was especially excited to hear about Grandma Rosiepuff, the closer she got to Branch, the more she wanted to know about him and his family. Poppy's father could only chuckle at her eagerness.

"Ahh yes, Rosiepuff. She was the toughest lady I knew, next to your mother Poppy. Even took me under her wing when I was orphaned as a young lad." Everyone's eyes widened in surprise, not even Biggie or Cooper had known that about the former king.

" _You_ were an orphan Dad!"

"I was much like Branch my dear, especially after I lost my family. Had it not been for Rosiepuff, I might have turned grey as well. Just like Branch did." The former kings statement made everyone gasp, all of them watching him like young excited children as he continued on with his story, revealing a side of him none of them had really known.

"The tree back then had just been claimed by the Bergen's." He began to explain.

"Everyone was terrified, and it was some of the darkest days for the troll race. The Bergen's had led themselves to believe the only way they could ever be happy was to eat one of us… the Bergen King at the time had declared Trollstice as an annual holiday but… at first the Bergen's were greedy. Our village was almost wiped out completely due to their greed, my mother and father… who had been the King and Queen at the time… both victims to that greed…" Poppy gasped. Her father had never told her what happened to her grandparents, just that they had simply sacrificed themselves to save him just as many others had done. Never could she ever have imagined that time period to be so much darker and scarier then anything she had ever experienced.

"The chaos stopped when the Bergen King realized, if they ate all of us, they'd no longer have another source of happiness. So a cage was constructed around the tree to keep greedy Bergen's out and Trolls inside." King Peppy sighed sadly as he recalled the dark days of the troll race's past.

"I believe back then… there were many trolls who lost their colors along with their will to live…" This statement made Poppy's father falter for a moment and she resisted the urge to run up to him and hug him. It was almost as if he was terrified of what had almost come to be.

"Trollstice soon began and while we were all still terrified… there was peace. Not everyone lost his or her colors but… we certainly weren't as happy as we once were… One of the only trolls who remained positive… was Rosiepuff…" Poppy was shocked by what she was hearing from her father, it was unfathomable to her… Her dad was depressed? She has never seen him down in her entire life other than when the entire village had gotten trapped inside that pot. She's even been told that he handled the death of her own mother incredibly well and yet… even though it was hard for her to picture or believe… she knew the words he spoke were nothing but the truth.

It may have only been for a short while, but she too had experienced some of that terror and grief, as well as that awful and hopeless feeling of loosing ones colors… it must have been so much worse back then, their lives had been drastically changed. Back when everyone had been trapped inside the pot… when she lost her colors, so did everyone else. Poppy knew she was the center of hope for their village, and that day proved it to her. She couldn't help but wonder if maybe Rosiepuff has been that troll back when her father was a child, the troll that was just naturally the center of everyone's hope.

"Rosiepuff had a son, Birch. She was raising him alone because her husband had passed away long before the Bergen's took claim over the Troll Tree. Rosie and her son… they were the most positive happy trolls I had ever met back then. Rosiepuff became our reason to live again as she nurtured, sang for and played with us troll children everyday. She would serve banquets of food for everyone in the Troll Village, and gave me, the crown prince, he courage to take on the throne at such a young age and be everyone's stronghold. I was able to confidently promise to everyone that one-day… we would be free from the Bergen's… Rosiepuff helped me earn everyone's trust when there was none left, and loyalty when so much was lost. I would not be the King I am… or formerly was, without her…"

"Dad…" Poppy whispered as her heart clenched for him.

"King Peppy…" Everyone murmured as he made this confession. He smiled softly in reassurance to the group as he continued.

""Branch's parents… Birch and Willow… sacrificed themselves to the Bergen's so Rosiepuff and Branch could live… Just as your mother did for you and I, Poppy." Peppy then looked at each one of her friends.

"Just as so many of your loved ones did for all of you." Everyone nodded, and then bowed their heads slightly alongside King Peppy as if to pay respects to their loved one with King Peppy's words.

"Rosiepuff… was like a mother to me… to all of us… her sacrifice for her grandson… broke all of our hearts. I can understand why Branch turned grey… and why he is still struggling now…" The former king signed again, casting his gaze off into the distance.

"I vowed to protect Branch in her steed after she died, to protect everyone… which is why I worked harder then I ever had before to finish our root tunnels and evacuate every troll from the Troll Tree by that following Trollstice. That and they had also intended to feed my one and only daughter to the new young Prince as well…" Silence fell over the group after King Peppy finished his story of their past. After a long period of time, his daughters voice could be heard breaking the silence.

"I wish… I could have met her…" Poppy found herself saying out loud. Her father smiled warmly at her and he rested a gentle hand on the top of her head.

"You did." King Peppy reassured her.

"You were born just days after the Trollstice where your mother had sacrificed herself for us. Rosiepuff was one of the first trolls you met the day you were born, along with her grandson Branch." He explained, but Poppy was still slightly confused.

"But… wasn't Grandma Rosiepuff taken during that Trollstice as well?" She questioned.

"No, she was taken a few days after you had been born. King Gristle's father, was extremely greedy, more so than any other king before him and he would often have the chef feed him trolls throughout the year to satisfy himself. He hadn't gotten enough happiness during the Trollstice that year and had requested more several days later." Poppy's eyes widened in surprise, she had no idea… No wonder Branch had beaten himself up so much over his grandmothers' death. He had thought… since Trollstice had past, that he was safe to sing and dance, as a troll would normally do… but he had let his guard down and ultimately… paid for it… due to the unruly greediness of one king.

"Rosiepuff knew from the moment you were born that you be the shining light of our kingdom Poppy. She only wished she could have spent more time with you." Poppy smiled sadly at her father as tears welled up in her eyes. Hearing that from someone her father and boyfriend had thought so highly of, made her feel special.

"Thank you… for sharing that with us Dad… I… I understand Branch, as well as so many of the other trolls so much better now." Poppy's friends all nodded in agreement behind her as she turned around to face them with a warm and tender smile.

"I know exactly what I want to do now. Biggie?" Her large friend stood as he was called.

"Do you think your father would still have photos of Grandma Rosiepuff and many of the other trolls who sacrificed their lives for us back then?" Biggie smiled confidently at her.

"Of course! He's kept every single one!" Everyone smiled.

"Alright! Lead the way my good friend!"

* * *

 _-Branch-_

Branch found himself outside of Poppy's pod by midday. He felt awful about the way he had treated her the day before and he now found himself here wanting to apologize. No matter how down he might be feeling right now… he just couldn't have Poppy distancing herself from him because of his actions. He would never admit it… but he needed her, if she distanced herself from him now it would only make him feel worse… and at that point, he may actually turn grey again… he couldn't loose her… But just as he was about to knock on Poppy's door, someone had grabbed his arm from behind.

"Branch! I finally found you!" It was Cooper. Branch loosened his arm from Cooper's grip and turned around to face his friend, only slightly irritated.

"What is it Cooper? I'm kind of busy and need to speak to Poppy right now…"

"King Gristle has requested an audience with you." Cooper quickly informed him before Branch could speak any further.

"Now?" Branch questioned. Cooper only nodded, Branch sighed in defeat, knowing he very well couldn't turn down orders from a King, even though he really wanted to.

"Alright… can you tell Poppy I'd like to talk to her though?" Branch asked as he began to make his way down the Troll Tree.

"Sure thing Branch!"

* * *

 _ **(AN: And that's it for now! Hoping to have Chapter Four up by the weekend! Let me know what you think!)**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Branch's Birthday**

 _(Summary: Branch may have had his true colors returned, but why is he suddenly starting to act grumpier then ever? It's eerily similar to the way he was acting when he was grey… right down to isolating himself from everyone once again including Poppy. Poppy knows his birthday is coming up so maybe she could do something for him on his special day that would stop him from becoming grey once again.)_

 _ **(AN: Hey all! Thank you for your reviews! I'm glad you are enjoying the story! There's only one more chapter to go as well as an Epilogue! Hope you all continue to enjoy!)**_

* * *

Chapter Four

 _-Poppy-_

Two days had passed since Poppy had last seen Branch, but not because she hadn't wanted to. King Gristle just happened to need Branch's assistance with securing some of the boarders around Bergen Town. This task was keeping him extremely busy and Poppy had her Queen duties as well as planning Branch's birthday surprise, so their schedules just couldn't quite seem to match up. Today though Poppy was supposed to meet with the queen-to-be of Bergen Town, Bridget, to discuss clean up throughout the town now that the snow had completely melted away. She secured an audience as well with King Gristle to join in on discussing the boarder issues, with these plans she was hoping she'd be able to spend a few moments with her boyfriend today even if it was duty related.

As the Troll Queen arrived at Bergen Town castle, Bridget was immediately there to greet her.

"Bridget! It's so good to see you!" Poppy exclaimed. Her bergen friend smiled brightly as she lifted the pink troll up in the palm of her hand.

"You as well Poppy!" The female pair then made their way through the bergen castle corridors, and found themselves chatting about Bridget's upcoming wedding.

"So there was a huge mix up and all of the invitations we received are wrong…" Bridget sighed.

"Gristle has spoken with the bergen's responsible for the mess but we're afraid we won't be able to get them out in time now…

"Leave it to me Bridget!" Poppy exclaimed as they arrived in the dining hall for the tea that was soon to be served.

"Eh? Poppy what…"

"I am a master at making thousands of invitations in a short period of time! Just send me your guest list!" She offered, but Bridget looked at her with worry.

"But Poppy, with both bergen's and trolls being invited… there is just so many…" Bridge was obviously concerned, and did not want to inconvenience or overwork her friend.

"Bridget, have you forgotten the spring festival invitations I just handed out to the bergen's _and_ the trolls?" Poppy mentioned, causing the female bergen to pause for a moment.

"You're right… and it was such a cute invitation… Okay Poppy! I'll leave it to you!" Bridget exclaimed with a big smile.

"Will King Gristle be okay with it?"

"Once I explain everything to him it'll be fine." Bridget assured her friend.

"Anyway enough about me! How are you and Branch doing?" Bridget asked curiously as the two girlfriends relaxed and sipped on the delicious tea. Poppy found herself smiling fondly, yet sadly at the mention on her boyfriends' name. Sadness pricked at her heart, their previous encounter hadn't left her with happy memories but she remained positive that seeing him today would go well, and even if it didn't she had high hopes for her surprise she had planned for him.

"We haven't seen each other in a couple of days, but I am hoping I will be able to see him today." Poppy mentioned, Bridget smiled warmly as she watched her friend in love.

"His birthday is coming up in a few days and I'm so excited! Oh! Actually Bridget, maybe you can help me out a little bit! We may need to get King Gristle in on it too." Poppy started, confusing her bergen friend slightly.

"Eh?" Poppy then went on to chat about her upcoming plans for Branch's birthday and quickly lost all track of time.

* * *

 _-Branch-_

Branch had been surprised to see his girlfriend when he entered the throne room in Bergen Town castle; he had not been expecting to see her at all until he had completed his task here. She immediately smiled brightly at him the moment she spotted him, resulting in lifting his spirits a little bit and making his heart race. He had been in love with her for so many years, and she still had this effect on him.

His meeting with King Gristle had finally finished after their rounds for the day and honestly… today he could barely remember a single thing they had talked about. As the days continued to pass since he kicked Poppy out of his home and he had continued not to see her, he was growing more and more anxious. Plus, he would never admit it, but was really missing her presence.

"Branch!" He heard his favorite troll exclaim, pulling him out of his thoughts. He didn't even have a chance to greet her before he was knocked over by the force of one of her fierce hugs. Unlike his demeanor a couple days ago, her actions didn't upset him this time. In fact, he quickly found himself laughing as he returned the welcomed hug just as fiercely. Gosh, how he had missed her.

"Oooh! I've missed you!" She voiced his own thoughts as she gave him one last tight squeeze before pulling back to look him in the eyes.

"And I missed you." He confessed, giving her a heart-warming smile. His reactions were so warm and welcoming, Poppy almost forgot how he had acted several days ago and barely noticed the strands of black that could still be found mixed within his royal blue hair.

They remained quiet for a while, just enjoying each other's warmth and gazing into one another's eyes. Gristle and Bridget had quietly retreated from the throne room to allow the troll pair some privacy. After a short while, Branch frowned slightly and broke their gaze as unwelcome memories returned to him.

"Poppy… about the night you came to give me the Spring Festival invitation… I'm…" He sighed, then willed the courage to look her in the eyes again.

"I'm sorry for how I acted that night." He apologized earnestly.

"Branch…"

"I'm just… struggling a bit right now." Poppy accepted his apology with a sad smile.

"I worry and care about you Branch, a lot. If you need me, I'm always here." He smiled back at her.

"Thanks Poppy." The pink troll for now, was satisfied. Branch may still be struggling but she thought of this moment as a step forward. Branch's happiness was returning again and she believed he wouldn't turn grey; those black strands in his hair would surely vanish once she is able to show him what she's been doing for him behind the scenes. Well, that's what she hoped for anyways...

* * *

 _-Poppy-_  
 ** _Three Days Later_**

Several days passed again with Poppy seeing very little of Branch. It was now the day of the day of the Spring Festival and the day she planned to put her boyfriend's birthday surprise into action. Branch's actual birthday was tomorrow, but she had different plans for them on his day so long as Branch was okay with it.

All preparations were finally complete but not due to her own abilities. None of this could've been accomplished without the help of her good friends and she couldn't be more grateful to them.

Poppy could hardly contain her excitement and slight anxiety over Branch's surprise; she could not wait to see his reaction. She only hoped he wouldn't be mad at her for learning more about him and Grandma Rosiepuff without asking him directly. But, before she could even see Branch today, she had duties to tend to as Troll Queen for todays spring festival activities.

 _"And with that, I'll finish by saying goodbye winter! Welcome back spring!"_ Poppy announced as trolls and bergens cheered. Her speech kicked off the celebrations as DJ Suki turned up the music for everyone to begin their dancing and socializing. The Troll Queen walked off of the stage to greet King Gristle and Bridget who had been supporting her offstage and were clapping for her. Her heart sank slightly when she realized a familiar royal blue tuft of hair was missing.

"Very good Queen Poppy! You've always had a knack for speaking for _both_ of our kingdoms." The Bergen King complimented her.

"But… where's Branch? Isn't he usually the first one to greet you after your speech's?" Gristle questioned curiously. Poppy's face fell a little with the mention of her boyfriend she had hoped would be here. Sure, he may have declined her invitation to the Spring Festival, and she didn't expect him to attend still but… after she had spent time with him in Bergen Town Castle a few days ago, she had been so sure that his spirits had been lifted a bit and hoped he would have at least been here to support her during her speech. Apparently she had been wrong…

"Gristle…" Bridget elbowed her fiancé.

"I-It's alright Bridget, there was a slight doubt that he might not be here tonight." Poppy reassured her, but King Gristle only looked more confused.

"He didn't want to attend this celebration due to some personal issues King Gristle. I'm actually on my way to see him now to make sure he's doing okay." She hid her worry behind a smile, not wanting to raise any further concern. King Gristle _'ahhh'd'_ in understanding before bowing to the pink troll as she made her exit. Poppy curtsied gracefully and waved at the bergen pair with a smile.

"Good luck Poppy!" Bridget called as she disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

Poppy finally made it to Branch's front door. She had been stopped several times by other trolls and even some bergen's to congratulate her on her speech as well as thank her for putting together tonight's festivities. What she initially planned to be a quick trip down the Troll Tree, turned into a several hour adventure just to get back to her pod to grab Branch's gift before heading down to his home.

As the Troll Queen approached the familiar entrance, her heart began to beat furiously with anticipation. Not only was she worried about him, but also she was excited to see him again after several days. She only hoped that he wouldn't push her away again. Poppy took a deep breath to calm her nerves before she knocked on Branch's door.

 _"Who is it?!"_ Came Branch's bark from the other side. Poppy froze and found herself unable to respond right away. That voice almost sounded like he was… he's not grey again is he?! Poppy began to panic, her heart on the verge of breaking and her previous giddiness vanished. How could she not have seen this coming?! How could she not have been here for him to _stop_ this from happening?!

"Branch?! It's Poppy! Are you alright?!" She called frantically. It was silent again on the other side of the door, she tried to calm herself and tell herself that he was just making his way over to his entryway to open the door for her but…

"What do you want Poppy…" He spoke again; he seemed to be just on the other side of the door now but wasn't opening it to welcome her inside. He was no longer barking at her as he had just a moment ago, but his voice was still harsh and guarded.

"I just…"

"I thought I told you I didn't want to come to tonight's festivities!" It didn't take long before he was snapping at her again, pushing her away. Poppy's thoughts raced a mile a minute; she couldn't hold herself back anymore, she needed confirmation on whether or not her boyfriend had lost his colors again, she needed to help him. She reached forward to grab the doorknob and make her way inside while trying to reassure him and calm him down.

"No… Branch that's not why I'm here… Is something wrong? Why won't you open…" Poppy had managed to open his door slightly while she was speaking but had quickly been stopped only managing to open it with a slight crack. Poppy looked up through the crack hoping to see her boyfriend's face poking out behind the door, but was only met with… black hair…

Poppy gasped and her eyes widened, before she could react any further she felt herself being forcefully pushed backwards as the door slammed shut in her face. The force caused the queen to loose her balance and fall painfully on her behind as she clutched Branch's gift in her arms, afraid it might end up damaged.

 _"Branch!"_ She cried, not even concerned about her fall, all her mind could think about, worry about, was Branch.

"How many times do I have to tell you… _leave me alone Poppy!_ " Branch shouted and Poppy's heart broke. He had not once said anything like that to her since he regained his colors again. She had failed him… she wasn't there for him… and now…

For a while, nothing was said between the two of them, Poppy remained on the ground where she fell, beating herself up over how she hadn't been there for him when he needed her, and Branch made no movement as he stood on the other side of the door hiding himself from her. Poppy was at a loss on how to handle the situation, Branch had never been that rough with her before, she assumed that he also felt awful and ashamed for allowing himself to turn grey again and really did not want her to see what had happened. But his roughness isn't what made her upset; she was upset because he was pushing her away again, could help him if he would just… extend his had out to her… but he didn't, and to be fair she hadn't checked on him either. A lone tear finally fell from the corner of her eye before she gathered herself and stood up again. There was only one chance she had left to help him, she had failed to be there for him when he needed her the last couple of days, but she wasn't about to back down and give up on him now. Hopefully her gifts could help bring him back. She confidently walked up to his door once again and spoke to him softly.

"No matter how many times you push me away Branch… I will always come back… I'm not giving up on you… I will _never_ give up on you." She confessed, she waited for some sort of response, any sort of sign from him telling her that he needed her but was only met with silence. She sighed sadly as she placed the gift on the ground right against his front door.

"I didn't come here tonight Branch, to ask you to come to the party…" She continued to speak to him even though he would not answer… At least he wasn't shouting at her to leave him alone anymore.

"I actually wasn't planning on attending the festival tonight either a…after my speech…" She choked up a bit as she mentioned her speech. It still hurt her that he had not been there to support her, but she tried to hide that hurt and held back the tears that had threatened to fall.

"I… have a gift for you… in… in honor of your birthday tomorrow…" she continued, finally she heard a clutter on the other side of the door. It had sounded like Branch had suddenly bumped into something nearby. She couldn't help but feel her spirits be lifted a little bit, at least now she could confirm that he was at least listening to her.

"I'll leave it here for you for whenever you are ready to open your door. I'll return to my pod for the night…" She continued more confidently.

"Goodnight Branch, I love you." Without waiting for a response she had assumed would never come, and without saying another word, Poppy spun on her heels and walked away from Branch's home. She no longer felt the urge to cry, although she was a little anxious about her gift. She prayed that it would help him return his happiness once again, and she would return in the morning to check on him. Hey, if she could bring his colors back once, she could do it again… right?

* * *

 _ **(AN: That's it! I know I left it with a cliff hanger, but I promise Chapter 5 will make it worth it! Have am amazing weekend everyone!)**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Branch's Birthday**

 _(Summary: Branch may have had his true colors returned, but why is he suddenly starting to act grumpier then ever? It's eerily similar to the way he was acting when he was grey… right down to isolating himself from everyone once again including Poppy. Poppy knows his birthday is coming up so maybe she could do something for him on his special day that would stop him from becoming grey once again.)_

 _ **(AN: It's the final chapter! I plan to also write an epilogue but I may not have it posted until after the holidays. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter and has a great holiday season!)**_

* * *

Chapter Five

 _-Branch-_

 _"No matter how many times you push me away Branch… I will always come back… I'm not giving up on you… I will never give up on you."_ Branch had not left his spot from the other side of the door, and was slightly surprised to hear that Poppy was still there. After his last outburst he was sure it had hurt her enough to make her leave, and yet… she didn't. She still… would not give up on him…

 _"I didn't come here tonight Branch, to ask you to come to the party…"_ Poppy continued after a period of silence, her voice was closer now almost as if her head was resting on the other side of the door. He had assumed that she was hoping he would respond, but he just couldn't find it within himself to do so… not after what he had allowed himself to become… once again.

 _"I actually wasn't planning on attending the festivities tonight either a… after my speech…"_ Branch could hear Poppy choke up, and the reality of his actions hurting her made Branch's heart constrict painfully in his chest. A lump formed in his throat as his stubbornness fell away and he rested his forehead against the door, his left hand also coming to rest in the same spot Poppy had rested hers on the opposite side of the door.

He realized Poppy believed that he hadn't been there tonight during her speech to support her… he had stood in attendance for all of her speeches since she had been crowned Queen, and although it was unbeknownst to her, tonight had been no different, he had been there to support her… from the shadows, just as he had done in the past.

He couldn't blame her for feeling that way though, ever since his colors had returned he had always supported her from right beside the stage, and was the first troll to escort her off and congratulate her with a big hug. He couldn't do that tonight… he was too ashamed…

Branch's heart yearned for him to call out to his beloved, to tell her she was wrong, that he had been there, that he would always support her. He wanted to reach out and hold her close to him, to comfort her, but the words and actions just wouldn't come forth. It felt as if someone had clamped his mouth shut and weighed his feet down with bricks, making it impossible for him to move.

 _"I have… a gift for you… in… in honor of your birthday tomorrow."_ Her soft voice continued. The statement made Branch's head whip up with incredible speed, causing him to loose his balance and knock into the small table that was placed near the door. He had been sure that she had forgotten all about his birthday with all of the festival preparations… Not once had she ever made any mention about celebrating it within the last week! He had actually been completely torn about it and angry. Forgetting birthdays was not like Poppy, and he had wrongly assumed that she had found this spring festival more important than him…

When he really took a moment to think about it though, he realized he might not have allowed her to bring it up because of his actions toward her recently. If she had wanted to try, he was sure she felt shut down the moment he snapped at her about not going to this festival.

"Poppy…" he whispered softly as his heart cried out for her, he had been such a jerk to her, why… why would she…

 _"I'll never give up on you Branch."_ Her words rang through his mind again and he found himself sinking to the floor. How… what did he do to deserve someone as amazing as the troll standing outside of his door right now…

 _"I'll leave it here for you for whenever you are ready to open your door… I'll return to my pod for the night."_ Branch heard her continue. Poppy was even respecting his space when he knew she wanted nothing more than to barge into his house right now and snap him out of it. She was holding all of that back… for him.

 _"Good night Branch… I love you…"_ Branch felt his heart leap in his chest and the familiar feeling of warmth in his heart as he listened to her. Looking at his hands, he could see his color slowly beginning to return to him again. He really… could not be happy without Poppy… So, why was he pushing her away? She would never think ill of him for turning grey again, she might cry… but he knew she would fight for him and do everything in her power to bring back his happiness, just as he would do and has done for her.

How foolish he has been to think that Poppy would leave him for something like this… She admitted to him that she fell in _love_ with him when he was grey before. Poppy loved and has accepted _all_ of him, right down to his grumpy demeanor when things got hard.

Jumping to his feet, he swung his door open with notable force in hopes that she would still be standing there.

"Poppy?!" Branch's heart dropped when he realized that she was no longer there. Of course she wouldn't be there anymore… what was he thinking? With a long sigh he dropped his gaze down to his feet, just as she had said there was a gift wrapped in a beautiful blue colored wrapping paper that matched to color of his hair, and was tied with a white bow. He bent down to carefully gather the gift into his arms and brought it inside.

For a short while Branch debated on whether or not he should chase after his Queen, but he knew she would want him to open the gift first. Even though he felt as if he didn't deserve it after hurting her again, he knew no matter what was inside, he would love it because it came from Poppy. Shaking those negative thoughts from his head, he took a deep breath before beginning to unwrap the gift.

As the wrapping paper began to fall away, he could clearly see that it was none other than one of Poppy's handmade scrapbooks. Lifting the book out of the box that must've taken her an incredible amount of time to make, he smiled as he read the words carved into the scrapbooks front cover.

 _'For My Beloved…'_ His heart was singing with joy right now. How could he have believed for one millisecond that Poppy had forgotten about his birthday? She must've been so busy with the preparations for the Spring Festival and he knew she had been very troubled by his distance and attitude towards her lately… and yet, despite all that she still used some of her precious time to create this for him. He could practically feel her love for him emanating off the book cover. Branch hadn't even opened the book yet to reveal its contents, and he already felt the desire to run after Poppy and apologize for everything he had ever done, especially over the last couple of weeks.

"Poppy…" He murmured as he ran his hand along the scrapbooks cover and gazed at it tenderly. He continued to stare at it for a while without opening it, admiring her handiwork just as he had always done with her invitations in the past when no one was around to see him. Finally, he slid one finger under the front cover to open it, not expecting what he was about to see inside.

The moment the first page was revealed to him, he gasped. His eyes widened in shock… right before him, was a beautiful photograph of his Grandma Rosiepuff and his Grandfather he had never gotten the chance to meet. The shock of it caused Branch to do a double take, he rubbed his eyes thinking they were playing a trick on him and double-checked the front cover to ensure this really was Poppy's handiwork. He had been right; no tricks were being played on him… Poppy had really created this, for _him_ but… how?

Branch's heart began to race painfully in his chest, but this time he did not feel any sorrow. He gazed at a the photograph of his grandparents lovingly, he had only ever remembered seeing in Grandma Rosiepuff's pod back when she was still alive, not even Branch had a photo of his grandfather… so how did Poppy get ahold of this?

Turning the page, Branch's blue eyes were met with a photo of his parents on their wedding day. While it was shocking to see that Poppy had gotten ahold of another photo Branch didn't even own himself, the shock could not outweigh the overwhelming feeling of sadness and longing that washed over him. Before tears could fall though, he caught the familiar handwriting on the page underneath their photo.

 _'Thank you Aspen and Hazel for bringing such an amazing man into this world that I have grown to love so much. I wish I could have met you.'_ The tears now fell from Branch's eyes, but not because of the sad feelings he felt before.

"Poppy you…" he couldn't finish his sentence, too overwhelmed by the love he clearly held for the Troll Queen, and the love he could clearly feel she held for him. He continued to turn more pages of the scrapbook; filled with photos of his grandparents and parents when they were young, so many photos he had never seen before himself and even several pictures of his entire family from when Branch was really young. They were so many memories he cherished so dearly, of a time when he wasn't alone, when he was loved… memories he had shoved deep down for a long, long time.

Branch was completely astounded with the amount of photos she had been able to obtain, photos he thought he had lost a long time ago, and photos he hadn't even known existed. His tears dried up as the photos brought back wonderful, happy memories of his family he had tried to force himself to forget. He foolishly believed that forgetting those memories would help him forget the pain, but Poppy's scrapbook was helping him realize… he needed those happy memories to be happy. He couldn't continue focusing on the bad anymore.

And then he came to the last page… Branch's eyes widened once again, and he breath caught in his throat. Tears the formerly grey troll rarely ever shed poured down his face once more as his gingerly touched the familiar photograph resting neatly in the intricately detailed album. This photo stood out to him more than any other, it was the only photo, and _last_ photo ever taken of him and his Grandmother together… the photo he had displayed in his home… But... it wasn't the photo from his house. Unlike his photo, the one displayed in the album was in pristine condition, almost perfect and now protected within the confines of the album so no further damage could be done to it ever again.

This photograph had actually been a big cause of a lot of his grief over the past week. When he was grey for twenty years, he had stored the photo away in his haste to forget what he had believed were painful memories, and had not sealed or protected it properly. He had only stumbled upon it again when they moved back to the Troll Tree, but it had gotten very damaged over years of wear and tear. When he did find it, he framed still framed it despite its condition, but continued to beat himself up over his stupid decisions that resulted in one of his treasures being destroyed. Then… two nights ago… the night he had found himself all grey again, he ended up knocking the photo off the table where it was displayed, shattering the frame. The shattered glass tore up the photo to a point of no return.

His tears flowed like a river now; he didn't even try to hold them back. Branch had really been struggling with his emotions and feelings between his colors returning, their move back to the Troll Tree and his overwhelming flooding back of memories. For twenty years Branch never believed what he was doing was wrong, that he was fine as he was and yet… he finally understood that he had been wrong. Mourning his loved ones with good… healthy… and remembering them made him happy. He never would have been able to realize that without Poppy… she has no idea what she had just done for him, especially with finding another copy of that last photograph.

Without another thought, Branch gingerly placed the precious gift on his table before he sprinted out of his home, making a beeline up the Troll Tree in search of the one troll he loved more that anyone in the entire world, the one Troll he always knew he could never live without…

* * *

 _-Poppy-_

Poppy was lying on her bed starring blankly at her ceiling, she just couldn't will herself to fall asleep tonight, too many thoughts and worries plagued her mind. Surely Branch had opened the gift by now… what did he think? What was his reaction? Sighing in defeat of the answers she was unable to answer herself she sat up and swung her feet over the side of her bed.

"I wish… I could see him…" The Troll Queen whispered. Suddenly just as she finished her sentence, a frantic knocking could be heard on the door of her pod. Worried something might have occurred at the party, she jumped to her feet and promptly opened her door.

"What is it? Is something wr…" Poppy abruptly stopped speaking once she realized whom it was standing outside her door. It was the one troll she had been dying to see all day, with all of his bright blue colors back in order. Her gift had done what she had hoped it would do but despite his colors returning, what really shocked her most were the tears she saw spilling from his brilliant blue eyes. Not once, in her _entire_ life had she ever seen Branch cry, and yet here he was… standing before her with tears pouring down his cheeks and a gentle smile on his lips.

"Branch…" She whispered unable to form anything more coherent. The moment his name left her lips, she felt herself wrapped up completely within his warmth.

"Poppy… I love you…" Finally… he spoke to her. The sound of his gentle voice instantly began to wash all of her worries away. Wanting privacy as he held her closer to him, she made sure her pod door was closed before hugging him back just as tightly.

"I love you so very much…" Branch whispered into her hair, causing shivers to run down her spine. Oh how she had missed being this close to him.

"I love you too Branch." She reciprocated letting out a sigh of content and relief. Her worries had vanished but she still had questions she wanted to ask. Right now though she decided to simply enjoy the tender moment they shared, she knew Branch would explain everything to her in time. After a period of time, Branch's tears seemed to have dried and he finally loosened his grip on her. As he pulled back he looked her directly in the eyes for the first time in weeks.

"Thank you Poppy… you saved me… again…" The blue troll started. Poppy smiled sweetly at him in return, her eyes watching him full of love.

"Branch…" She called his name softly.

"I'm so sorry… for everything I did earlier…" Branch continued, referencing their confrontation outside the door of his home. Remorse was written all over his face and Poppy could tell that he was apologizing from the bottom of his heart. The pink troll leaned forward slightly and gave her boyfriend a soft kiss on his lips, she then pulled away and waited for his eyes to open slowly and look at her again before speaking.

"It's okay Branch, I just… wish you would have come to me the moment you started hurting. But… I also know that you're still learning and that opening up can be hard for you…" Poppy explained. She then took his hand and gently placed it over her heart earning a blush from the blue troll who held her loosely in his arms. Her smile brightened.

"Which is why I will never give up on you and will keep on reminding you that no matter how many times you push me away, you will always hold my heart." Branch smiled sweetly at her as he rested his forehead against hers and let out a soft sigh.

"What did I ever do to deserve you Poppy?" He asked, not expecting an answer.

"You loved me." She responded honestly. With that response the formerly grey troll found he could no longer hold himself back and pulled his girlfriend in for a deeper kiss than she had given him earlier.

* * *

Branch and Poppy had settled comfortably on Poppy's sofa, Poppy resting against Branch's side and tucked underneath his arm. Some time had passed since he dropped by, and during that time Branch had explained to Poppy much of what he had gone through and what he was struggling with recently.

"I need to ask Poppy…" Branch asked, as the conversation naturally started to drift in another direction.

"What is it?"

"How… how did you get ahold of those pictures? I never even knew some of those existed…" Branch asked curiously. He glanced down at his girlfriend to see her smiling back at him.

"Biggie helped me at first, his father being a photographer, has thousands of photos of everyone in Troll Village and he has saved all of them." Branch nodded in understanding, he and Biggie were friends when they were young. Branch had no doubt that Biggie's father must have had a lot of photos of him.

"But… once word got around about what I wanted to do for you, many other Trolls jumped on the opportunity to help… everyone in the village… helped create that book. Everyone was worried about you Branch." Poppy mentioned as her pink eyes gazed up at him with compassion.

"There are so many trolls who care about you and never want to see you turn grey again." Branch felt his cheeks flush with her statement.

"That never would have happened if it wasn't for you." Branch commented honestly before giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze earning a giggle from her.

"That's not true, everyone has always loved you. They just didn't know how to approach you." Branch rolled his eyes, he knew that wasn't true but decided not to argue with her about it and redirected the conversation.

"Where did that last picture of Grandma Rosiepuff and I come from?" From what he knew, his grandmother and him were the only ones who owned a copy of that picture. With his grandmother gone and his copy destroyed, he never expected to see it ever again. Branch felt Poppy lift herself off of him so she could look at him directly.

"That one… was a little more difficult to track down." Poppy began to explain as Branch watched her curiously.

"I got it from… your old home…" Branch's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief.

"My old home? But how did… what?" Poppy only smiled at him before she stood up and held her hands out to him to help him to his feet.

"Come with me, I have another surprise for you."

* * *

Night had fallen now and the Troll Tree was illuminated with colorful lanterns. Faint music from the Spring Festival could be heard in the distance as the stars twinkled in the clear night sky above them as the troll pair made their way through the branches of the Troll Tree.

Branch, his mind filled with questions, followed Poppy as she led him to a familiar area of the Troll Tree. Once they arrived, she turned around to face him. This only confused him even further.

"Poppy… why… are we here? And… how did you know that this is where I used to live?" To his knowledge, he knew he had never told her about this area, he had even remained silent with she announced the new construction that was about to begin here so how could she have known?

"My father told me…" Poppy answered, watching him with worry.

"I hope… you're not mad that… that I learned more about you and Grandma Rosiepuff from him." She confessed. Branch felt his heart twinge with her apology. This was not something she needed to apologize for, yet his previous actions from his past had made her feel like she was doing something wrong…

"I'm not mad." He reassured her, taking a few steps closer to her he reached a hand out and cupped her cheek.

"He's your father, and he was the King. I won't ever be mad about the stories he tells you. After all the former King and my grandmother were very close." He explained while smiling at her.

"This is partially my fault anyway… for not opening up to you to begin with." He admitted. The pink troll smiled back at him gently and reached her hand up to cover his while returning his loving gaze.

"She sounds like she was an amazing troll… your grandma." Poppy commented.

"I would have loved to meet her. Well… _remembered_ meeting her." Branch eyes seemed to light up with her comment before he leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"She would have loved you. She _did_ love you." He spoke truthfully, fondly remembering how his grandmother had spoken highly of Poppy the day she was born. And he just _knew_ that if she were still around now, grandma would have loved Poppy, just as everyone else did, and would have been even more ecstatic that she was Branch's girlfriend. Branch found himself blushing at the thought.

"Your grandmother had a stash of some of her most valuable possessions hidden here." Poppy pulled Branch from his thoughts as she began to answer some other questions Branch had. This revelation made his eyes widen in surprise again as he pulled away to look at her.

"Some of the other trolls in the village mentioned to me that they found valuables of loved ones they had lost during the years of Trollstice sacrifices, hidden within different areas of the Troll Tree when we moved back here." Poppy had completely pulled away from his embrace now and was walking back toward the trunk of the tree as she explained this to him. Branch followed her as he listened intently, and stopped with her when she approached a small crack in the tree that appeared to have a loose piece of bark peeling away.

"So… I thought maybe Grandma Rosiepuff did too." Poppy pulled away the loose piece of bark to reveal a small hole that had been dug into the tree. Branch, unsure of what he should do, could only stare at Poppy with slight fear and disbelief; his heart was racing in his chest. Poppy gave him a reassuring smile and nodded at him before saying.

"The only thing I took out was the photograph. I thought you would want to see the rest for yourself." Branch needed no more encouragement; he reached his hand into the small hole to pull out the only possessions now left that belonged to his grandmother. There was only four items, five including the photograph Poppy placed in his scrapbook. The first item he pulled out was a notebook; the notebook was his grandmother's journal. Memories of his grandmother writing in it all the time came back to him, sometimes she would even write songs. The second item was a locket. Secured within the heart shaped locket was a tiny photo of her and his grandfather on their wedding day. Branch then pulled out her wedding ring, the same ring she had given to his father when he wanted to propose to his mother. It was a simple gold band that contained one diamond in the center that had been carved into the shape of a heart. He could remember the stories his grandmother had told him about this ring, about how his grandfather had taken five years to create this ring for her with his own hands before he proposed to her. His mother must have returned it to her before she died.

And then the very last item, which was nowhere near as extravagant, but probably made him choke up with most, was a simple birthday card. It was the first birthday card Branch had ever given to his grandmother, and he had made it all on his own. Much like the first invitation he had ever received from Poppy, it was a little messy and the handwriting was uneven, but anyone who looked at it could see it was made with all the love one could muster. Branch could see his hands tremble as he held all of his grandmothers' possessions close, and could feel his knees start to buckle underneath him. But before he could fall, Poppy reached out to steady him. He looked up at her, practically forgetting that she was still there. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes again as she looked at him with gentle eyes and wore a beautiful smile.

"If… if you can handle it Branch… I have… one more gift for you."

"Another one? Poppy… this… this is too much I…" She silenced him with a finger.

"Just come over here and I will explain." She stated and he just sighed and let her lead him. He honestly did not know how much more his heart could take, nor did he know if there was a way he would ever be able to repay her for everything she had done for him. Poppy stopped pulling him along and noticed that they were now standing in the exact spot where the pod he once shared with his grandmother used to hang. Poppy knelt down and he followed after her, tucking his grandmother belongings safely into his hair.

"Look here." She encouraged him once more as she ran her hand over a spot on the branch that appeared to have been engraved. Branch squinted his eyes a bit and leaned a bit closer to get a better look at the engraving that was a bit difficult to see in the dark.

 _'Grandma Rosiepuff_  
 _April 21st 1940 – June 30th 1991'_

Branch felt the air escape his lungs once again, he couldn't form any words to speak, his mind barely able to register what he was seeing before him. Poppy was explaining things to him, but it was as if he couldn't hear her he was just so overwhelmed. But there was once sentence she spoke that caught his attention and brought him back down to reality.

"We did this… for every troll who sacrificed their lives back then. We've done it for you're your parents… and my mom as well." Branch looked at Poppy who was sitting beside him, but for the first time since they had arrived here she was no longer looking at him. Her gaze had drifted off into the distance. The blue troll knew she had no memory of her mother, but could clearly see it pained her deeper then anyone ever realized. A sad smile formed on his lips as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled the Queen into a loving embrace.

"Poppy… I can't even begin to explain what everything you have done for me has meant to me, not just tonight but throughout my entire life." He spoke softly, while gently running a hand trough her hair as he poured his heart out to her with every word.

"You… were able to do all of this… not just for me but… your entire kingdom. All while still performing your regular duties… you're… amazing… and truly a wonderful Queen." He could hear Poppy sniff lightly before he felt a wet tear land on his chest.

"You… you really mean that?" She asked hesitantly before adding.

"Is… is it really okay Branch? That we begin construction of new homes here? I… I never even asked anyone if they were alright with it before signing the order…." The pink troll confessed. Branch closed his eyes once again in disappointment with himself, now fully realizing how much his actions had affected her. She had beaten herself up about things more often then she let on and he often took that for granted.

"It's alright Poppy…" He began as his hand traveled down from her hair to rub her shoulder in a comforting way.

"I was okay with it from the beginning because I knew… grandma wouldn't want me to continue living in the past forever. She would want new homes to be built here too…" He explained, then pulled away from her and dropped his gaze down to the engraving on the tree. He reached out to rub his hand along the bark with a fond smile.

"And now, I know her mark will be here forever… thanks to you… I can not only cherish her memory but I can fell happy about it too… I… can move on…" Poppy gasped at his words and whipped her head up to stare at him with wide eyes, he only smiled at her in return. Before she could utter another word, he captured her lips once again and poured all the love, gratitude and devotion he felt for her into that one kiss. It was a searing kiss that would make Poppy weak in the knees; she wrapped her arms back around her boyfriends' neck to return his passionate kiss with just as much love, gratitude and devotion as well. Thankful she could once again bring back his happiness.

 _-End-_

* * *

 ** _(A/N: All that's all! I have an Epilogue, but like I mentioned it may not be posted until after the holidays. Please let me know what you all think! Hope everyone enjoyed this story!)_**


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